Chapter 151: Has Gervas Also Fallen?!

"Besides you, not a single soul is still alive?"

The nobles finally erupted in shock.

The collapse of the left-wing army, though shocking, was not unheard of in warfare.

But of more than twenty minor nobles, only these three plus Count Farrio escaped—such a casualty rate left the nobles deeply shaken.

You know, they themselves were mostly minor nobles too.

Put yourself in their place—how utterly hopeless would that be?

"Gervas also fell?"

Meanwhile, among the nobles, Catherine sat frozen, her head ringing.

She had felt a flicker of satisfaction seeing Farrio dusty and disheveled.

But once she heard that all other minor nobles had perished except these few, she finally realized.

Gervas had been in that group too.

Thinking of the handsome, composed young noble who always wore a calm, gentle expression, Catherine felt an unexpected pang in her heart.

On that dark, terrifying night, it was his handsome face appearing through the hole in the roof that brought her unprecedented hope.

When she was being guarded by bandits and dragged toward the wall, it was that tall, noble figure who reappeared and rescued her from them.

She remembered the first time she had embraced a man other than her father.

He was the only one besides her father who made her feel safe and reliable.

He was just gone.

She hadn't even had time to say goodbye!

Though she had only met Gervas a few times.

But undeniably, because of his rescue of her and his mysterious, unique nature, he had already occupied a special place in her heart.

After that, Catherine could no longer hear what the others were discussing.

Of course, the world around her did not stop because of Catherine.

Having confirmed the situation of the left-wing army from the three minor nobles, Narsy no longer questioned further but began discussing the risks the main army must now guard against.

"Gentlemen, I believe we must retreat immediately—what do you think?" Narsy asked the nobles.

"Commandant Narsy, should we wait until dawn to retreat?"

"No, gentlemen—I want to retreat now!"

Whoa!

"Commandant Narsy, is it really necessary to retreat tonight? They're only five or six thousand savages, and we don't even know if they'll come!"

"Exactly! We can just send a few thousand men tonight to guard that pass! Besides, with the intelligence of those tribal savages, could they possibly devise any complex attack plan?"

"Right! It's the middle of the night—now we have to start marching again? This is too much trouble!"

At this moment, the nobles clearly had not grasped the severity of the situation.

After all, they had no intelligence system and still believed only the left-wing army had suffered a mishap.

Narsy immediately frowned—nobles' arrogance was his greatest obstacle in commanding the army.

And the nobles were arrogant not only toward their own side but toward their enemies as well.

They were not arrogant toward themselves.

Didn't these fools realize that these savages had seized dozens of noble territories, large and small, totaling the size of a Hou Jue's domain?

And if we still underestimate them now, the left-wing army is the perfect example!

"Report!"

Just as Commandant Narsy was about to speak, a frantic shout pierced the tent.

Immediately, a cavalry captain rushed in.

"My lord, a large enemy force has been spotted on the road to Baron Billy's territory, thirty li behind our main army—numbering at least six thousand, estimated to reach camp in two hours."

Everyone froze; even Narsy was stunned. "Did you report incorrectly? The enemy should be approaching from the north, through Viscount O'Neil's territory!"

Baron Billy's territory lay along the right-wing army's route, so if enemies were attacking from behind, they should have come from the left.

The cavalry captain blinked, then recalled his squad's patrol route for the day—he had not made a mistake.

"My lord, I did not misreport. My patrol zone today was along the right side of the army, on the road northwest toward Baron Billy's territory!"

Whoa!

"So it's the right road… then… where is our right-wing army? How did these savages get behind us? Could they have…?"

The nobles turned deathly pale, too terrified to finish the thought.

If enemies had truly appeared on the right, it meant the right-wing army had suffered even worse than the left…

The left-wing army at least had a few nobles escape to report—yet the right-wing army hadn't even sent a single messenger.

"Report!"

"My lord, enemy forces detected on the road to Viscount O'Neil's territory, twenty li behind our main army on the left—numbering at least eight thousand, estimated to reach camp in two hours!"

"Report!"

"My lord, the main tribal army has been spotted directly ahead, thirty li away—numbering at least twenty thousand, estimated to arrive in three hours…"

As the nobles reeled in disbelief, even more horrifying reports arrived.

Not only had enemies appeared from the direction of the left-wing army, but the main tribal force, which had been invisible all along, now revealed itself directly ahead.

The nobles sat dumbstruck, cold sweat breaking out across their backs.

"We… we've been surrounded by the enemy!!"

"Commandant Narsy, should we still retreat now?" the inspector, who had barely spoken until now, cried out in panic.

Narsy's face turned ashen—he finally understood.

Retreat?

It is no longer a question of whether to retreat or not.

Rather, their rear escape route has been blocked.

Behind them, the two groups combined number at least fourteen thousand tribal savages.

With the combat power of the tribal forces, even if they cannot be annihilated, holding back their four thousand retreating men is absolutely no problem.

Therefore, if they do not wish to guard the front while neglecting the rear, then the best course of action now is to stay within the camp and await reinforcements!

"There is no way to retreat; we are already surrounded!"

"Issue the order: the entire army must be on high alert! The laborers must immediately begin reinforcing the wooden walls and constructing defensive works!"

"Additionally, dispatch five messenger squads immediately on swift horses to Lei Dun Fortress to inform my lord the Commander that we require support. Remember, this message concerns the life and death of our central army. It must be delivered."

【Ding! Daily intelligence has been refreshed...】

【Intelligence One: After two days of frantic flight, the four-noble squad led by Count Fario has safely escaped back to the central army!

Fario has already shifted all responsibility for the squad's defeat onto others.

Furthermore, believing that the other nobles have no chance of survival, Fario has concealed the fact that their own cowardly flight was the true cause of the ultimate collapse of the left army.】

【Intelligence Two: What Fario does not know is that, besides his group, there is a second group of five nobles who also escaped the pursuit of the tribal savages.

These five were able to escape by sheer luck after Commander Brick used his own life to block the tribal pursuit.

However, knowing that more tribal cavalry would surely pursue from the rear, they temporarily hid in a dense forest and dared not travel on the main road, thus failing to return to the central army!】

【Intelligence Three: Due to Count Fario's report, you have been entered into the noble death list!

Viscountess Catherine has therefore been plunged into deep sorrow...】